Jun 25, 201304:47 PM

Cheat Sheet: June 25, 2013

Jason Liebler

Taliban attack CIA station in Kabul

The Taliban have taken credit for launching an assault on the Ariana Hotel, a CIA station close to the Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s palace this morning. The attack came as reporters were setting up for a scheduled conference with Karzai. Many reporters had to duck for cover as bullets whizzed overhead. One attacker blew himself up, while others were killed by security forces. Though the Afghan Taliban is seeking a platform for peace talks the number of attacks for which they take credit has increased, including one hour before an international commission handed over security responsibility of the country to the Afghan forces. The area surrounding the palace will remain on lockdown. (Source)

Coal stocks unfazed by Obama's climate speech

President Obama spoke on the greenhouse gas restrictions that will be placed on coal producers in the United States. In anticipation of the plan, stocks of the major coal producers have fallen. His plan seeks to end the funneling of government money to businesses which build plants outside of the US and to increase restrictions on carbon emissions. These restrictions will require energy companies across the country to make big changes, and detractors of the plan argue that the cost of production will increase for businesses, and those increases will be shouldered by the consumers. The president indicated that he would move with the plan with an executive order with or without Congress’ approval. (Source)

Dynamic Duo Denied

A planned launches of two rockets at NASA on Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore to study atmospheric phenomena was cancelled today because of the absence of the conditions necessary for the study and civilian boats in the area. This is the second time the launch has been cancelled, as Monday’s launch was called off because of interfering cloud cover. The launches are a joint operation between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The phenomena, called the dynamo, is a layer of electorally conductive plasma in the ionosphere (50-125 miles) which repels radio waves, but satellite waves can travel through it, allowing for the transition of both for communication and research. Changes in this layer can alter these waves, and the rockets will test the atmospheric winds as well as collect data on the subatomic particles and ions within the ionosphere. (Source)

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